Building a boat that will perform well, look good and meet the customer's expectations all boils down to one thing …. Good design!! Of course proper construction techniques must be employed, but if you start off with poor design, the best construction in the world will not make a boat perform.

Seven years ago, Ritchie Howell Custom Yachts looked to world renowned design firm Applied Concepts, to design a hull that provides a superior ride, comfort, speed and fishabilty. This Stuart, Florida based design firm has become the premier designer of Sportfishing yachts with a list of clients including Garlington, American Custom, Rybovich, Monterey, Spencer, Tribute, Jim Smith, Sonny Briggs, F&S, Miller and Sculley .

Steve French, founder of Applied Concepts, has brought 3D computer modeling to the boatbuilding industry allowing builders to build a better boat with more precision, while at the same time reducing cost and build time. This 3D modeling allows the boats looks and performance to be fine tuned before the build begins. Once a design is ready to be built, the exact specifications can be transferred to a CNC router that will cut the "jig" the boat will be built from quickly and precisely. The CNC routers precision cut the jig to within 1/1000th of an inch, insuring the final product will be built exactly as it was designed.

Interiors can also be designed using 3D modeling, allowing the boat owner to tailor things such as layout, fabrics, woods and lighting before starting the process. Important, yet often overlooked items such as storage should not be an afterthought and can be addressed during the design stage. Ultimately, there is a cost and time savings by planning before building.

In addition to making the boat look good and be functional, it must perform. Applied Concepts spends a considerable amount of time on each design making sure it will ride well in all conditions, be fuel efficient and have speed. Tank testing is done on new designs to insure performance. Studies on weight and its placement, referred to as "loaded center of gravity" or LCG are also performed to insure each boat will reach its potential.

In the end, proper design is the foundation from which any great yacht is built. With fourteen yachts on the ocean today and three more under construction, Ritchie Howell has proven himself as one of todays premiers boatbuilders.